LOUISVILLE, Colo. — The Marshall Fire destroyed hundreds of homes, and now people trying to rebuild must overcome a new obstacle. A home builder that actively recruited fire victims has reportedly shut down without warning.
Statewide Restoration signs advertising a community block party on Aug. 20 can still be found in yards in Louisville but the the company's website has been taken down and the CEO is not responding to questions.
Rebuilding after the Marshall Fire has been one step forward and often two steps back.
"We were supposed to break ground next month," said Daniel Hesselius, who hired Statewide Restoration to rebuild his home. "We've got to go back, not to square one because we have the design of the house, but we need to go find a builder and go through that whole process again."
Contact Denver7 has heard from several Marshall Fire victims that Statewide employees are now calling them, saying the company announced it was suddenly shutting down Friday, laying off dozens of employees with no plans for what to do for customers.
"I felt like I went right back into the emotions right after my house burnt down," said Becky Navarro, who received a call Tuesday morning from a former Statewide employee.
"The state of Colorado requires that the insurance company pays for your rent for two years. And I was just going to barely make it and get into my house. So, we're all now struggling and trying to figure out where to go next. It's scary," said Hesselius.
Statewide's CEO Gary Liardon has not responded to our requests for comment. Their showroom in Aurora was closed Tuesday.
This company has come under fire before with 2020 reports of delayed projects, unhappy customers, and a suspended license in Colorado Springs.
Several Marshall Fire victims told Contact Denver7 they felt confident in the company
because it had big investors behind it, including the private equity
firm RF Investment Partners. That CEO also did not respond to requests for comment, and Statewide has been removed from its portfolio on its website.
Hesselius says unpaid subcontractors have now put a lien on his property, but he plans to keep moving forward to rebuild, despite another setback.
"There's been a lot of good in the community from this fire. A lot of people helping out, a lot of doing good. So I think the good outweighs the bad," he said.
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